1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to furniture, and more particularly, to an article of furniture that dries clothing stored therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
Applicant believes that one of the closest references corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 6,572,208, issued on Jun. 3, 2003 to Albaizar, et al. for Clothes Drying, Dewrinkling and Droning Cabinet. However, it differs from the present invention because Albaizar, et al. teach a clothes drying, dewrinkling and ironing cabinet comprising a main enclosure for housing clothes, access to said main enclosure being by way of a door, and means for drying and dewrinkling the clothes in said enclosure, said cabinet also having an ironing board unit. This ironing board unit is a folding one and is mounted on the inside of the door.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 6,067,723 issued to Lafrenz on May 30, 2000 for Clothes Dryer Hanging Feature. However, it differs from the present invention because Lafrenz teaches a hanging feature for a clothes dryer. The hanging feature is included on the door, or on the cabinet adjacent the door opening so that shoes or other objects can be hung from the hanging feature and suspended in a position exposed to the hot air within the rotating drum while at the same time being held free from rotation with the rotating drum.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,870,836 issued to Grimes on Feb. 16, 1999 for Portable Clothes Dryer. However, it differs from the present invention because Grimes teaches a portable clothes dryer that has a rectangular cabinet for storing a blower fan at a rear portion of the cabinet and shelf inserts at a front portion of the cabinet. The cabinet has vertical slots located on the inside of the cabinet side panels for receiving and storing the shelf inserts. The cabinet further has a pair of front door panels having aligned horizontal slots that extend along the inside of the front door and side panels. The shelf inserts are fitted into the horizontal slots and clothing is placed on the shelf inserts. The blower fan then circulates air about the clothing placed on the shelf inserts. After the clothes are dry, the shelf inserts are removed from the horizontal slots and placed in the vertical slots. The front door panels may then be closed and the portable clothes dryer can be conveniently stored. Rollers are provided on the bottom of the cabinet to aid in movement of the dryer.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,961 issued to Estes, et al. on Oct. 6, 1998 for Clothes Treating Cabinet With Inflatable Hanger. However, it differs from the present invention because Estes, et al. teach a clothes treating apparatus and method for subjecting clothes items to moisture, pressure and heat for refreshing and dewrinkling the clothes items. A cabinet defines an interior region for receiving clothes, the interior region having opposed inner side surfaces. A door is hingedly connected to the cabinet for closing the interior region. An inflatable hanger for supporting shirt-like clothes items is disposed within the interior region. A blower selectively inflates the inflatable hanger for pressing the shirt-like clothes item against the cabinet inner side surfaces. A steam generation means is provided for introducing moist air into the cabinet for humidifying the clothes item disposed therein. A heater and fan supply heated air into the interior region for drying the shirt-like clothes items disposed therein. During the dewrinkling cycle, steam is introduced into the interior region while the inflatable hanger assembly is periodically inflated. Following the steaming period, the inflatable hanger is inflated while the clothes are subject to warm air such that the clothes wrinkles are pressed out and the clothes are partially dried, setting the clothes in a smooth appearance. Heated air is then delivered into the interior region to completely dry the clothes item.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,040 issued to Ou on May 26, 1998 for Household Drying Center. However, it differs from the present invention because Ou teaches a multipurpose dryer which can serve as a household drying center to provide versatile drying function for a wide variety of clothing, fabric articles and other household goods. A cabinet has a heating chamber located at the bottom of the cabinet for generating forced and heated air as drying medium. There is a heated air chamber to receive and distribute heated air to a drying chamber located below the top wall of the cabinet and above the heated air chamber. There are hollow air ducts attached to the sidewalls of the cabinet and a perforate heat diffusion plate above the heated air chamber for evenly distributing heated air into the drying chamber. A versatile support means is disposed in the drying chamber for hanging clothes, draping large size or bulky goods, or supporting a wire basket for holding delicate drying goods. The clothes and goods are dried without tumbling, thus avoiding fraying or wrinkles.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,305,484 issued to Fitzpatrick, et al. on Apr. 26, 1994 for Clothes Steaming and Drying Cabinet. However, it differs from the present invention because Fitzpatrick, et al. teach a clothes steaming and drying cabinet comprising a housing defining an interior region for the clothes. Hangers and a bar are provided for suspending jackets and trousers respectively. Weighted bars tension the clothes during steaming. A sub housing houses a heating element and a fan for delivering heated air into the interior region. A boiler tank generates steam for delivery into the region. During the steaming and drying cycle, steam is delivered for a steaming period of the cycle and subsequently heated air is delivered during the drying period of the cycle. During the steaming period, heated air is intermittently delivered into the interior region simultaneously with the steam to reduce the formation of condensation on the interior of the cabinet.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 6,928,752 issued to Johnson, et al. on Aug. 16, 2005 for Combination Tumble and Cabinet Dryer. However, it differs from the present invention because Johnson, et al. teach a combination tumble and cabinet dryer appliance that includes a housing with a tumble dryer and a cabinet dryer therein. The tumble dryer and cabinet dryer are operable independently of one another. Separate sources of hot air are provided to each of the tumble and cabinet dryers. The cabinet dryer extends over and along one side of the tumble dryer. A portion of the cabinet dryer extends substantially along the height of the housing so as to receive long hanging clothes, such as a dress. Removable shelves are provided in the cabinet dryer for drying sweaters and the like.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 6,910,292 issued to Prows on Jun. 28, 2005 for Clothes Drying Cabinet with Improved Air Distribution. However, it differs from the present invention because Prows teaches a clothes drying cabinet with an internal compartment for receiving clothes and having a plurality of air inlet nozzles. An air plenum provides air to the cabinet through the nozzles. The plenum has a decreasing cross section from one corner to an opposite corner to provide a balanced distribution of air through the nozzles at a substantially uniform velocity. The nozzles are angularly oriented to direct air across upper and lower surfaces of shelves mounted within the drying compartment.
Other patents describing the closest subject matter provide for a number of more or less complicated features that fail to solve the problem in an efficient and economical way. None of these patents suggest the novel features of the present invention.